Dallas Seavey, in Kaltag, ready to race

A sled dog from the team of Dallas Seavey rests during the musher’s 8-hour layover in Kaltag, Saturday afternoon.

When it comes to the sections of the Iditarod trail that traverse the Yukon River, Dallas Seavey’s two goals, he says, are somewhat contradictory.

On the one hand, the 2012 Iditarod champion likes to “charge the dog team” prior to hitting the (Norton Sound) coast. That is, rest and prepare the dogs so that they’re energized and ready for the last, competitive few days of the race.

On the other hand, Seavey also likes to get within “striking distance” of the leading teams, which means, most likely, running his dogs with some relative speed.

When it comes to this year’s race, as Dallas Seavey told KNOM on Saturday, he feels he’s done both goals fairly well. In the Kaltag checkpoint, the musher caught up with trail reporter Laureli Kinneen and struck an upbeat but seemingly realistic tone.

Seavey said he’s “very happy” with his 2014 dog team and thinks a top-five finish is possible. As for another championship? This year, at least, he says that’s a “long shot.”

Regardless of his final position, however, Dallas Seavey was happy to be in Kaltag, ready to hit the coast; it’s the time when you actually get to race. Everything prior to Kaltag, he says, is largely preparation.